Your role in supporting patients with rUTIs
Your role in supporting patients with rUTIs
1Identify potential recurrent infections
Repeat purchases of OTC treatments for cystitis and repeat prescriptions for short courses of antibiotics may indicate potential rUTIs. You should have a conversation with these patients to provide practical recommendations regarding everyday management of symptoms and preventing recurrence, and refer them to their GP if necessary.
2Understand the impact of rUTIs on quality of life
rUTIs are associated with anxiety and depression due to treatment failures and symptomatic recurrences.7 Understanding the impact of UTIs and rUTIs on your patient’s quality of life is important in shaping your role in supporting them.
NICE recommends that women with recurrent lower UTIs where the underlying cause is unknown are referred for specialist advice.4,6 While these patients await their referral, you could share some coping strategies with them; for example, you could direct them to Antibiotic Research UK’s one-to-one patient support service at: www.antibioticresearch.org.uk/patient-support/
3Identify red flags
If symptoms worsen at any time, or do not start to improve within 48 hours of starting treatment, the patient should be reassessed.3,5
Those with persistent haematuria should be referred in line with NICE guidelines.9
Patients with the following signs and symptoms may have a kidney infection that could be serious if not treated:8
- Have a high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
- Have a low temperature, or shaking and shivering
- Have pain in the lower tummy or in the back, just under the ribs
- Are confused, drowsy or have difficulty speaking
- Are feeling or being sick
- Have not had to urinate all day
- Have blood in their urine that is different to that expected as part of the usual signs
Men and those under 16 years of age should also be referred.